Gloucester

Gloucester's population increased by about 11,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Gloucester increased by 10.7%, from just under 110,000 to 122,000.

The addition of almost 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Gloucester was home to, on average, 21 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South West's third-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Gloucester

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Gloucester increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South West and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 4,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Gloucester are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Gloucester by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Gloucester residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 1.0% in 2001 to 1.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Gloucester remained close to 1.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Gloucester by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Gloucester without children remained close to 60.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 31.4%, while the percentage of households in Gloucester with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.6% to 9.2%.

The proportion of households without children fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 63.8% in 2001 to 64.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61.2%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

Gloucester saw the South West's third-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.8%) households in Gloucester had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.3% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person decreased from 30.2% to 29.2%.

Across the region, only Plymouth (from 8.1% to 11.1%) and Isles of Scilly (from 7.3% to 10.2%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

Because of its small size, comparisons to Isles of Scilly should be made with caution.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.4% to 10.1%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Gloucester increased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gloucester, the South West and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Gloucester

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Gloucester was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.9 points.

In 2011, 26.2% of respondents in Gloucester gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 14.2% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.1% to 29.7%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Gloucester, 62.4% said they were Christian, compared with 74.3% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.1% to 6.9%.

In Gloucester, 6.9% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.1% in 2001. In South West, 7.9% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Gloucester increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South West and Gloucester by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Gloucester

The percentage of Gloucester residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.5% to 90.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 2.9%, while the percentage of Gloucester residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.6% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 90.0% in 2001 to 89.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 89.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Gloucester at a faster rate than in Tewkesbury (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Gloucester).

In Gloucester, the proportion of private renting increased from 9.5% in 2001 to 17.4% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Tewkesbury increased from 7.5% to 12.4%.

Across the South West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 11.1% to 17.0%.

The rate of social housing in Gloucester fell from 14.0% to 13.3%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 74.2% to 67.2%.

Private renting in Gloucester increased by 7.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gloucester, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Gloucester

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased here at a faster rate than in nearby Tewkesbury.

In Gloucester, the proportion of single people increased from 28.7% in 2001 to 34.1% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Tewkesbury increased from 23.5% to 26.1%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27.1% to 31.4%.

The proportion of married people in Gloucester fell from 51.8% to 46.8%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11.8% to 12.7%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Gloucester residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.6% to 4.9% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.0%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.2% in 2001. The percentage of Gloucester residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.1% to 13.1%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Gloucester decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Gloucester, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Gloucester working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 10.9% to 8.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 13.3% in 2001 to 10.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Gloucester decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Gloucester, the South West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Gloucester

In 2011, 4.8% of Gloucester residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 3.0% in 2001.

Across the South West, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 2.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 89.1% of people in Gloucester said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 92.5% in 2001. About 2.9% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.9% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 2.3% to 2.9%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Gloucester increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Gloucester by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Gloucester residents that were studying increased from 2.3% to 3.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 59.3%, while the percentage of Gloucester residents that were unemployed increased from 3.4% to 4.3%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Gloucester increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Gloucester, the South West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

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